Chapter 168: This Humble Monk Concedes

Xiao Chunzhu stood high above, observing every movement of the county town.

A full day had passed, yet he still had not caught even a shadow of the killer.

But he knew it was only a matter of time—by tomorrow at the latest, he would force the other out.

As a man of the Jianghu, he knew better than anyone where his “kind” would hide and how they avoided official sweeps.

His mood was now extremely excited.

When he was dispatched from Lingxiao, he had been deeply unhappy—he hated traveling, the world was too dangerous, wasn’t it better to stay within the sect?

Seventh younger brother… Lingxiao Sect’s inner-disciple junior.

In just half a year since joining the sect, he had already won the Master’s approval.

And he could see the Sect Master intended to train the seventh younger brother as the next Sect Master.

As for this matter… he had no thoughts on it.

After all, the one truly wounded by this was the eldest disciple, Lingyunzi.

Elder Lingyunzi had always regarded himself as the future Sect Master and conducted himself accordingly—until the seventh younger brother appeared.

He had watched with amusement as the two clashed in secret and open rivalry.

Then… the seventh younger brother decided to bring his family to Lingxiao and arrange them jobs below the mountain.

That wasn’t unusual—the sect feared for his safety on the journey, so they sent him and several other juniors to escort him.

That was why he was displeased.

Everything went smoothly until they reached Jincheng, where someone came forward and told them about Fuxincun.

The seventh younger brother panicked and rushed back in a frenzy, then encountered Li Lin.

What followed was the seventh younger brother’s death.

Xiao Chunzhu did not regret killing his own junior—because if the seventh younger brother had lived, all of them would have died.

One dead, several alive—no matter how you calculated it, it was a profit.

The other juniors said nothing to him, which clearly showed how perilous the situation had been.

Later, he parted ways with the other juniors in Jincheng.

He knew well: if he returned to the sect after killing the seventh younger brother, he would surely be executed.

He could only find a way to survive outside.

But how hard it was for a stranger to settle down in a foreign land!

No money, no connections—only decent martial skill—what could he do?

Perform on the streets? Crush stones with his chest?

He’d still be driven off—every spot on the street had its “owner.”

Try joining a escort agency? Without local ties or a sponsor, they wouldn’t take him—what if they brought back a villain?

After wandering for over ten days, with his money nearly gone, he was considering desperate measures when he saw the township militia outside the city—and Li Lin.

He could tell the militia’s gazes toward Li Lin were filled with approval and respect.

If only one or two looked at him that way, it might mean Li Lin was decent—but if nearly all his subordinates did, then Li Lin was unquestionably an excellent superior.

So he decided to take a gamble.

Now, it seemed he had won.

After watching from the rooftop for a long while, a government office runner below bowed and said: “Brother Xiao, we’ve finished scouting the North District—what now?”

“Check the southern market area. Ask if any strangers have been lingering—then question them.”

“Understood.”

Xiao Chunzhu paused, then said: “Be cautious. If you spot anything unusual, don’t act—return immediately and report. We’ll gather forces before moving.”

“Got it!” the runner replied again.

He resumed his post on high, watching all around—if any disturbance arose, he would rush there first.

Time passed slowly, and evening soon arrived.

At that moment, a runner below called up: “Brother Xiao, come down and eat something.”

Xiao Chunzhu rubbed his stomach—he hadn’t eaten all day and was truly hungry.

He leapt down, and the runner handed him a small bamboo basket.

Inside sat a ceramic vessel, lid upside-down.

When he lifted the lid, it was filled with steaming white rice, topped with a handful of green vegetables and two thin slices of fatty pork.

It looked delicious.

“This… you’ve gone too far,” Xiao Chunzhu said gratefully.

For an ordinary person, this dinner was already lavish.

“Not me—it was the County Magistrate who sent it,” the runner laughed. “Everyone involved in the case gets this.”

Xiao Chunzhu blinked. “Do you often get such good food?”

“Yes,” the young runner nodded vigorously. “As long as we work, we eat well. And after each case, if we get silver rewards, the Magistrate shares a portion with us.”

Xiao Chunzhu’s heart burned hot: “The Magistrate is truly a good man.”

The runner nodded eagerly: “Yes, yes!”

Xiao Chunzhu ate heartily, quickly finishing every bite.

He placed the ceramic bowl back in the basket: “Thank you…”

“Brother Xiao, you’re too polite,” the runner smiled.

At that moment, Xiao Chunzhu’s ears twitched—he leapt up instantly, staring toward the northeast.

Then his face lit up with joy; using Lingxiao Sect’s lightness technique, he shot toward that direction at speed.

His speed was swift—Lingxiao’s lightness technique prioritized velocity, excelling in pursuit.

In less than twenty breaths, he had crossed three streets.

Then, a green firework burst into the sky.

Something had happened!

Xiao Chunzhu rushed toward it even faster.

Meanwhile, the other runners sprang into action.

Several captains saw the flare and led the township militia down from the city walls.

They headed straight for the flare’s location.

Instantly, lines of torch-bearing men converged from all four directions toward one spot.

Xiao Chunzhu arrived first.

He landed on the rooftop and looked down—over a dozen runners formed a semicircle, facing a disheveled man.

Several runners lay nearby, lifeless.

Xiao Chunzhu leapt down, stepping before the runners, and bowed: “Sir, have you been the one draining people’s life essence these past days?”

The man was filthy and unkempt, his face obscured—only his eyes were pale gray, lifeless as dead stone.

“So what if I didn’t? So what if I did?” The man clasped his hands. “The Buddha said all is empty—what difference does killing make? What difference between death and life?”

Madman!

No need to waste words with such a man.

Xiao Chunzhu drew his longsword, stepped lightly, and began circling the man slowly.

“Lingxiao Sect’s footwork,” the man turned toward him. “When did Jianghu men become the government’s lapdogs?”

“I choose to,” Xiao Chunzhu snorted.

“Oh, you willingly—”

As the man spoke, Xiao Chunzhu surged forward—two steps, and he was before the man, his sword flashing silver toward the man’s face.

Ding!

The man raised his right palm, palm facing the blade—and stopped the tip with a metallic clang.

“Diamond Palm!”

Xiao Chunzhu grunted, pulled his sword halfway back, then thrust forward again.

The man raised his palm again, trying the same move.

But Xiao Chunzhu’s sword suddenly split into two slender blades, stabbing from either side of the palm toward the man’s eyes.

The man didn’t dodge or retreat—he simply closed his eyes.

The twin blades struck his eyelids—and again, metallic clangs rang out.

The man smiled with closed eyes: “Mother-and-Child Splitting Light Twin Swords—well done. But your internal energy is weak, your qi insufficient.”

Xiao Chunzhu retracted his blades, stepped back two paces, his face grim.

This man was strong.

The man opened his eyes and grinned: “Step aside. I don’t wish to fight Lingxiao Sect.”

“You won’t leave,” Xiao Chunzhu said.

No sooner had he spoken than a flood of runners and township militia arrived.

Crowds surged in, soon blocking every escape route.

Even archers climbed onto rooftops.

The man glanced around, then crouched, clasping his head: “This humble monk concedes. I surrender!”

(End of Chapter)